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2026 Tesla Model Y ReviewSabrina Carpenter Gives Classic Cars a New Spin
From Coachella to music videos, Sabrina Carpenter’s classic car choices set the mood for each era, turning Mustangs, vans, and exotics into co-stars.From Music Videos to Coachella
Over the past two weekends, Sabrina Carpenter took the California dessert by storm by headlining Coachella, one of the biggest music festivals in the United States. Sabrina ended her set by driving off in a cool classic car, which nodded to the series of classic cars that have been featured in the music videos of her Short N’ Sweet and Man’s Best Friend eras. From sun-soaked convertible to boxy vans and European exotics, the cars she chooses help ground each era in a specific mood and time period.
Much like set design or costuming, these vehicles act as characters of their own. Whether they represent nostalgia, chaos, or confidence, each car helps reinforce the tone of the song and the persona Carpenter is playing on screen or on stage.
Coachella 2026
Carpenter headlined Friday night of 2026 Coachella and brought an entire high-scale production to the stage. With surprise celebrity guests, 20 songs, 5 outfit changes, and much more, Carpenter ended her performance with multiple vehicles turning into sprinklers and fountains before exiting in a 1950s Ford Thunderbird. Originally designed as a stylish personal car rather than a pure sports car, the Thunderbird quickly became a symbol of mid-century glamour. Its sweeping lines and low profile made it the perfect choice for a theatrical sendoff.
Espresso
Sabrina kicked off the Short N Sweet era by releasing the lead single, Espresso, in 2024 which quickly became the song of the summer. A 1966 Ford Mustang, one of the most iconic American cars of all time, makes an early appearance on the sandy beach. Part of the first generation of Mustangs introduced in 1964, the car became a symbol of youthful independence and style. The Mustang perfectly complements the carefree, flirtatious tone of Espresso. It also reinforces the song’s breezy, sun-drenched energy while nodding to classic summer imagery.
Later in the video, Carpenter is arrested and placed in the back of the 1967 Plymouth Belvedere. While less flashy than the Mustang, the Belvedere has often been used in fleet and law enforcement roles.
Please Please Please
The second single of the era, Please Please Please, featured the appearance of Carpenter’s at-the-time boyfriend, Barry Keoghan. After an action-packed video, Carpenter pulls up outside of a jail in a 1979 Dodge Magnum XE to pick up Keoghan. The 1979 Dodge Magnum XE was originally developed as a semi-luxury replacement for the Dodge Charger and marketed as a personal luxury coupe with a dramatic presence, making it an effective choice for this scene. Pulling up to a jail in this vehicle adds flair while emphasizing Carpenter’s mix of confidence and chaos as she retrieves her love interest.
Manchild
In 2025, Carpenter started her next era of music by releasing the lead single off her next album, Manchild. This video starts with Carpenter attempting to hitchhike, and many different vehicles are featured throughout. Some of the most notable vehicles include a 1980 Toyota Celica, a 1984 Dodge Ram Van, a 1984 Chevrolet Citation, and a 1986 Dodge Ramcharger.
At the beginning of the music video, the first vehicle to pass Carpenter on the side of the road is a 1980 Toyota Celica. Part of the second generation of Celica models, the compact coupe was known for its sporty styling and relatively affordable price point. It also helped Toyota secure the brand’s place as sales leader in the United States.
Later, Carpenter is seen riding in the back of a 1984 Dodge Ram Van during a dramatic, action-heavy scene. Vans like this were cultural staples of the 1980s, often associated with road trips, work crews, and offbeat adventures.
In one shot, Carpenter is propped against the hood of a black 1984 Chevrolet Citation at a gas station. The Citation represented practicality and mass appeal during the early 1980s, adding to the familiarity and normalcy of the scene, while also playing into the drama of what is taking place throughout the video.
In a quick shot, a man can be seen driving a 1986 Dodge Ramcharger down the road. The second-generation Ramcharger appears to have a tree sticking out of the top, playing into the video’s theme of the characters around Carpenter doing things that don’t make sense. After the second-generation, the Ramchargers were done on the United States market, but continued in Mexico for the third generation released in 1999.
House Tour
Most recently, Carpenter released the House Tour music video. In this vehicle, Carpenter and friends arrive in a 1978 Chevrolet Chevy Van, decorated for their “Pretty Girl Cleaning Crew”. While the crew terrorizes the house, a sleek, white De Tomaso Pantera is spotted in the garage. Towards the end, the crew once again escapes in their van. The stark contrast between the rundown van and the luxurious De Tomaso Pantera further strengthens the storyline of the video.
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